PGF Ultimate Challenge 2016

PGF Ultimate Challege: Highlights of Bracket Play

PGF Ultimate Challege: Highlights of Bracket Play

University of Texas bound-pitcher Shea O'Leary threw 5 2/3 innings of one-hit softball to lead the SoCal Choppers Fausett team to a 2-0 victory over the Exp

Oct 2, 2016 by Brentt Eads
PGF Ultimate Challege: Highlights of Bracket Play
University of Texas bound-pitcher Shea O'Leary threw 5 2/3 innings of one-hit softball to lead the SoCal Choppers Fausett team to a 2-0 victory over the Explosion at the PGF Ultimate Challenge Saturday night at the Salinas Sports Complex.

O'Leary struck out five and walked only in the victory which puts her team into 18I bracket play on Sunday.

"My curve and screw (ball) were really working today," O'Leary said. "I've been working on my changeup throughout and it wasn't consistent but I needed to work on it."

Brooke Yunez, a UC Davis verbal commit, faced one batter and recorded the strikeout to pick up the save.

McKenna Harper reached on a walk in the top of the second inning and after stealing second base was driven in by a Megan Fields RBI single.

Lucy Yang added an insurance with an RBI single in the top of the fifth.

"It was really nice to see my offense come through and get me two runs," O'Leary said. "Two runs was plenty."

Brittany Allen had the only hit for the Explosion with a double in the fourth.

In O'Leary's 5 2/3-inning performance she didn't allow a runner past second base.

Also in the 18U division, Lauren Innerst threw a three-hit shutout to lead the Cal Nuggets to a 3-0 victory over the CA Grapettes Cat team.

Innerst struck out 12 batters, walked five and hit a batter while throwing all seven innings.

"I think getting ahead in the count really helped," Innerst said. "They weren't swinging very much at first pitch strikes and after they were swinging at pitches that weren't as good as the first."

Innerst wasn't just a pitcher as the senior -- who is considering UC Davis and several Ivy League schools -- delivered an RBI double to help her own cause.

Dom Monteon recorded an RBI single and Lacey Sandoval added a sac fly for the Nuggets.

When Innerst is in a groove in the circle and on the defense plays more at ease.

"It feels like the defense is relaxed a lot more when I'm pitching well," Innerst said. "I don't have to stress out about errors and things like that."

The Grapettes team brought the tying runner to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning but Innerst was able to get Alexis Dawe to fly out to end the game.

Morgan Itess went 2-for-4 with a double in the loss for the Grapettes.

In 16U play, Brenna Begin had a three-RBI triple to lead the SoCal Athletics-Briggs team to a 6-2 victory over the Cal Nuggets.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Begin -- the Athletics' No. 10 hitter -- took the 2-2 offering to left center giving her team a 6-0 cushion.

Ali Belarde went 2-for-3 with an RBI double while Megan Burger went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI.

Burger also got the win in the circle throwing five innings, striking out three, gave up two hits and allowed only one earned run.

Bella Parks had an RBI single and Sophie Eftakari added an RBI in the loss for the Nuggets.

***

Here are the results of the Friday and Saturday action with the schedule of games set for Sunday play:

FRIDAY Time Field FINAL FINAL
9/30 5:00 PM 1 Sorcerer 2 vs CA Grapettes - Kapp 2
9/30 5:00 PM 2 AASA 6 vs Salinas Storm 5
9/30 5:00 PM 3 OCBB Campbell 8 vs Sorcerer 14U 1
9/30 5:00 PM 4 CA Breeze Warren 5 vs SJ Sting Perales 16U 4
9/30 6:30 PM 1 So Cal Choppers Fausett 14U 4 vs CA Grapettes Guevara 0
9/30 6:30 PM 2 So Cal Choppers Fausett 1 vs NW Bullets 2
9/30 6:30 PM 3 Birmingham Thunderbolts 4 vs OC Batbusters Stith 7
9/30 6:30 PM 4 CA Grapettes Cat 4 vs Salinas Storm 0
9/30 8:00 PM 1 So Cal A's McNee 0 vs Sorcerer 16U 4
9/30 8:00 PM 2 Explosion Denio 4 vs NC Firecrackers Baisdon 2
9/30 8:00 PM 3 So Cal A's Richardson 5 vs Beverly Bandits 1
9/30 8:00 PM 4 So Cal Choppers Ziese 2 vs LTG Lions 6
SATURDAY Time Field FINAL FINAL
10/1 9:30 AM 1 OCBB Campbell 2 vs CA Breeze 5
10/1 9:30 AM 2 AASA 18U 2 vs NW Bullets 0
10/1 9:30 AM 3 So Cal Choppers Fausett 18U 11 vs salinas Storm 1
10/1 9:30 AM 4 Cal Nuggets Woods 6 vs AASA 16U 5
10/1 11:00 AM 1 So Cal Choppers Fausett 14U 2 vs CA Suncats 4
10/1 11:00 AM 2 OCBB Stith 7 vs NC Firecrackers Baisdon 0
10/1 11:00 AM 3 Birmingham Thunderbolts 4 vs Explosion Denio 7
10/1 11:00 AM 4 Beverly Bandits 2 vs CA Grapettes Kapp 0
10/1 12:30 PM 1 So Cal Choppers Fausett 14U 8 vs SJ Sting 0
10/1 12:30 PM 2 OCBB Stith 1 vs Explosion Denio 1
10/1 12:30 PM 3 Birmingham Thunderbolts 1 vs NC Firecrackers Baisdon 2
10/1 12:30 PM 4 Sorcerer 18U 4 vs Beverly Bandits 1
10/1 2:00 PM 1 Universal Fastpitch Garcia 4 vs So Cal A's Briggs 1
10/1 2:00 PM 2 LTG Lions 16U 5 vs Salinas Storm 16U 2
10/1 2:00 PM 3 So Cal Choppers Ziese 0 vs CA Grapettes Cat 1
10/1 2:00 PM 4 Firecrackers 0 vs SJ Sting Perales 6
10/1 3:30 PM 1 So Cal Choppers Ziese 3 vs Salinas Storm 16U 2
10/1 3:30 PM 2 LTG Lions 16U 2 vs CA Grapettes Cat 0
10/1 3:30 PM 3 Cal Nuggets 2 vs So Cal A's Briggs 6
10/1 3:30 PM 4 Firecrackers 1 vs CA Breeze Warren 0
10/1 6:00 PM 1 Sorcerer 6 vs CA Grappettes Guevara 3
10/1 6:00 PM 2 Beverly Bandits 3 vs Salinas Storm Heen 1
10/1 6:00 PM 3 So Cal Choppers Fausett 2 vs Explosion Denio 0
10/1 6:00 PM 4 Birmingham Thunderbolts 3 vs CA Grapettes - Kapp 1
10/1 8:00 PM 1 SO Cal Choppers Fausett 7 vs So Cal A's 0
10/1 8:00 PM 2 Firecrackers 2 vs Salinas Storm 4
10/1 8:00 PM 3 CA Grapettes Cat 0 vs Cal Nuggets 3
10/1 8:00 PM 4 AASA 3 vs CA Breeze Warren 6
SUNDAY Time Field FINAL FINAL
10/1 8:00 AM 1 CA Breeze vs SJ Sting
10/1 8:00 AM 2 Sorcerer vs Suncats
10/1 8:00 AM 3 So Cal A's Richardson vs NC Firecrackers
10/1 8:00 AM 4 AASA vs Thunderbolts
10/1 10:00 AM 1 Sorcerer vs Universal Fast Pitch
10/1 10:00 AM 2 16U Quarterfinal vs
10/1 10:00 AM 3 OC Batbusters Stith vs Beverly Bandits
10/1 10:00 AM 4 So Cal Choppers Fausett vs Sorcerer
10/1 12:00 PM 1 14U Semifinal #2 vs
10/1 12:00 PM 2 16U Semifinal #2 vs
10/1 12:00 PM 3 18U Semifinal #2 vs
10/1 12:00 PM 4 18U Semifinal #1 vs
10/1 2:00 PM 1 vs
10/1 2:00 PM 2 16U Championship vs
10/1 2:00 PM 3 18U Championship vs